Few topics are as divisive in the gaming world as speculating which is the greatest of all-time. While high-profile titles like Destiny have managed to dominate headlines, the jury is still out as to whether such releases can truly stand the test of time in the way that traditional games like chess or playing cards have.
In terms of cultural impact, it’s hard to argue with the likes of Tetris that managed to not only sell 120 million units, but also managed to pave the way for handheld gaming that’s become such a big part of our current gaming culture.
A big part of Tetris’ appeal is its simplicity, and although there are a few more strategies to employ, it’s now easier than ever to enjoy live dealer Hold’Em thanks to Betway’s online casino site that has managed to reinvented this game for a new audience.
In fact the rise of live dealer hold’em as a popular video game format has been mirrored by the rise of various adult-rated games that have certainly earned a fair degree of notoriety. The fact that Grand Theft Auto V became the fastest game to gross $1 billion clearly shows that although a game is restricted to older audiences, it doesn’t mean it can’t become a massive gaming hit.
But it’s not just bloodthirsty games like GTA that have earned surprising sales figures, as the phenomenal growth of Minecraft has successfully illustrated that although the game doesn’t have a specific goal or fancy graphics, it can nonetheless become incredibly influential on a global scale.
Much of the success of Minecraft rests in the fact that it’s incredibly easy to play on a variety of devices and is downloadable for next to nothing. And the range of free apps like Angry Birds has managed to revolutionise the way that games developers market their products, and with over 300 million downloads of this iconic title, it’s hard to argue with its success.
But console gaming has also shown surprising durability with Mario managing to survive in a variety of formats from platform games to kart-racing and even making an appearance opposite his rival, Sonic The Hedgehog, in this summer’s Rio 16 sporting simulation for Nintendo’s Wii U.
With thousands of games being released for the world’s various app stores last year, it looks like we’ll be seeing many more examples of popular puzzlers, chaotic casino games and visceral shoot-em-ups that will all be vying for a chance to live among all-time gaming greats!